A Royal Guard Romance
by DisPrincess
Summary: Lieutenant Gabe Nunez has been fighting his ever growing feelings for the crown princess Elena since he met her. She's been doing the same. How long will they continue to ignore the chemistry that is between them?
1. Chapter 1

Leuitenant Gabriel Nunez finished his shift as Royal Guard to the princesses of Avalor at midnight. It had been an uneventful day but Gabe (as he liked to be called) was still tired after being on his feet for 12 hours. He headed down to the palace kitchen for a quick snack. Luisa, grandmother to the princesses, had promised to save some of her famous tamales for the guards to have when they were off duty. Gabe appreciated how generous the royal family always was to those who worked at the palace. He easily finished one tamale. _hmmm maybe just one more_ he thought as he removed the jacket of his uniform and got comfortable.

Feeling more than satisfied and just a bit stuffed after his third tamale, Gabe stretched out his arms and widely yawned. He needed to get some sleep. His next shift started in just 8 hours. On his way to his own room, he always took the hallway where the royal family's bedrooms were located. He liked to make sure that everything was in order before going to sleep, even if he was no longer on duty. The way he saw it, he was always on duty. It was his job to protect the Crown princess Elena as well as her little sister Isabel and he took his job very seriously. He had become very fond of both girls and wouldn't be able to get over anything happening to them if he wasn't on guard. He would always wonder "what if".

As he turned the corner, Gabe stopped when he saw Princess Elena, in her night dress, sitting up against her sister's bedroom door. Her knees were curled up close to her, hugged tightly with both arms, head resting upon them. She looked exhausted and it was clear she was fighting sleep. Gabe lifted an eyebrow at her, furrowing his brow, a smirk forming on his lips. _What is she up to now?_ he thought. Elena never ceased to surprise him. She was often difficult to keep up with. At first, this bothered Gabe as he wondered how he was supposed to protect her if she was constantly running off without warning. He quickly learned however that Elena was more than capable of taking care of herself. She was brave and resourceful and he came to trust her judgement, believe in her and believe that she knew what she was doing and if she didn't, she'd figure it out quickly enough. He found himself taking a step back more and more and only intervened when he felt it was absolutely necessary. It was useless arguing with her anyways. When Elena set her mind to something she was going to do it, no matter how dangerous Gabe told her it would be. The best he could do was to support her and help her however he could. So he did. He had gotten to know her pretty well by now. It was easy to become so close to each other when they spent nearly every waking hour in each other's presence. But the closer he got to her, the more complicated his feelings became.

He would be lying if he said he wasn't instantly attracted to the princess. The first time he saw her he could barely take his eyes off of her. He had been assigned as her guard to escort her and her family into the city. He often broke his position of attention to slyly glance her way. He remembered how her olive skin had glowed in the sunlight and long brown wavy hair flowed all around her small frame as she twirled around playing guitar and singing with her Grandfather. When he finally got close enough to talk to her, he admired her thin ruby red lips that matched the color of her dress but mostly he was attracted to her large brown eyes. They were so expressive. So full of hope and ambition. Gabe had put on his most charming smile, one that had often worked in his favor in the past, but Elena didn't seem to notice. Gabe did often let his ego get the best of him. After all, he was tall, strong and handsome. At the young age of 18, he had a position of importance in the guard. He had a lot going for him. Still, Elena would only roll her eyes at him, become annoyed or simply ignore him when he got a little too cocky. She brought him down a notch and he kind of liked it and knew he deserved it. She was different from most girls that he had known in his past. He always found himself unable to contain a smirk when she had cleverly, yet sweetly put someone in their place. Himself included.

Gabe's crush on the princess changed however when they were both introduced to Prince Alonso of Cordoba. During their visit, Gabe was surprised at just how jealous he had become as he watched the young and charming prince try to woo Elena. He hadn't even realized that he was actually falling for Elena on a deeper level but then the thought of her off with Alonso, touring Cordoba all alone, had him feeling overwhelmed. He did his best to keep his eyes on them and then was proud of Elena when she didn't buy into Alonso's self proclaimed irresistibility.

A lot had happened that day. Elena and Alonso had accidentally disturbed and destroyed the homes of the buhitos (small owl like birds) and awoken the Yacalli, A wooden statue whose job was to protect them. The Yacalli set out to destroy the kingdom of Cordoba in retaliation. When Alonso turned out to be completely unreliable, Elena had turned to Gabe for help in saving Cordoba. Gabe listened to her, supported her every decision and faithfully followed her lead. They were successful in communicating with the Yacalli, vowed to rebuild what they ruined and maintained peace between the understanding statue and the people of Cordoba. Gabe was proud to stand by Elena's side but the one thing that really stood out to him about that day was the change in the way Elena looked at _him_. Maybe it was that she had seen the jealousy written all over his face throughout the day, maybe it was the way he actually stopped and listened to what she had to say about the situation or maybe it was the way they worked so well together to save the Cordoban palace. He wasn't sure but she finally looked at him with a sense of admiration. The look was enough to make his heart flutter. Gabe even thought that just for a moment there was a bit of flirtatious flair in Elena's eyes when she announced to him that they deserved a break after their long day and were going to be touring the kingdom of Cordoba together. Gabe was surprised and wondered if it meant anything special to Elena. All he knew for certain was that their relationship had changed that day and for just that afternoon they weren't a princess and her guard, they were a young man and woman out enjoying each other's company. From that moment on, Gabe's feelings for Elena only began to grow.

It had been months since that day now and so much more had happened. They spent most of whatever free time they had together and even when he was on duty, it no longer felt like actual work. They got along so well and their interactions were easy. Gabe knew though that despite how their relationship, or whatever it was, seemed to progress, he was still her royal guard and needed to maintain a certain level of professionalism. No matter how strongly he felt for Elena, he knew he couldn't act on those feelings.

Gabe had to shake himself from his doting stare and put his best serious royal guard face back on as he stepped forward towards the princess.

Elena looked up when she heard footsteps approaching and instinctively smiled when she saw through her sleepy eyes that it was her royal guard. She flushed a moment at thinking of him as _her_ royal guard. She had lots of guards but Gabe was different. Their interactions had always been more friendly and casual, right from the beginning. Perhaps it was because he wasn't intimidated by her being the crown princess. He was never afraid to speak out to her, even if it was something he knew she wasn't going to like. It wasn't as if he didn't respect her or wasn't loyal to her though. She actually liked that he did it and came to rely on his honesty with her. Plus she knew that everything he did was in her best interest, even if she wouldn't admit it out loud. The fact was, Gabe was the definition of loyal. He stood by her no matter what and always took the time to listen to what she had to say, even if he didn't agree with it. When they worked together, it was actually their differing opinions that made them such a great pair. Elena acted with heart and often impulsively. Gabe acted rationally, always with an air of caution. They balanced each other out nicely.

It wasn't just working together though. Elena loved having Gabe around no matter what. She'd always be disappointed if she'd get up in the morning to find another guard on duty. Often she'd seek him out if she had some free time and convince him to go hike the mountains, play some olaball or go toe to toe with some fencing. They both enjoyed being active and loved any sort of competition, especially with each other. It was never too hard to convince Gabe to go anywhere with her. All she had to do was flash her big pleading puppy dog eyes at him and he'd melt. She knew that Gabe had feelings for her that went beyond being her guard and beyond being her friend and sparring partner. He'd never say anything though. He always remained as professional as he could but it was pretty obvious by the near constant look of admiration plastered on his face when they were together. He was actually terrible at hiding any emotion as his face was far too expressive. Elena found it to be part of his charm.

She didn't always feel that way about him though. At first, Elena found him to be far too full of himself. She had little interest in his attempts to impress her. Not that she didn't find him attractive, she noticed him right away, but assumed he was just another typical, macho, good looking guy with an ego that she didn't have time for. It didn't take long though for her to see the real Gabe. Yes, he tried too hard but he was also an overachiever and eager to please. He had a passion for his work and just wanted to be the best guard he could be and sometimes his confidence could come off as arrogance. As Elena got to know him she realized that he didn't have a bad bone in his body. He genuinely cared about everybody around him. To her, he was like the sweetest guardian angel, doing everything he could to protect her. Not that she felt she needed or wanted the protection. But it was comforting to know that he was always looking out for her. Then there was the way he was with Isabel. He adored Isa. He was always the first person to be there for Isa if Elena couldn't be. Nobody meant more to Elena than Isa did so it warmed her heart to know that Gabe was there for her when she couldn't be.

Elena had been trying to fight her growing feelings for Gabe. She had a lot of things to accomplish before she became queen and finding love was not on the check list. But the more time that went by, the harder it became. When Gabe glanced her way affectionately, Elena now instinctively reciprocated the look, liking the feeling of warmth she felt when their eyes met. She could no longer deny the ever present chemistry between them. Their connection was just too strong now. She began to let her gaze linger with his, even as they walked away from each other, their eyes remained connected and the more she let it happen, the stronger their feelings became.

"Issss there a reason you're sitting out here, on the cold floor, in the middle of the night?" Gabe asked with amused puzzlement as he now stood in front of Elena.

Elena tilted her head down and slightly to the side as her eyes looked up to meet Gabe's. When they did, she smiled gently and her eyes softened to his. He must have just gotten off duty as he was carrying his jacket and wearing only the form fitting shirt that he usually sported beneath it. There was no hiding the way it defined every muscle in his arms and chest. Elena naturally batted her eye lashes at him as she dreamily stared, nearly forgetting the reason she _was_ on the cold floor in the middle of the night.

"Oh!" She said, bringing herself back to reality. "Isa! She was having nightmares." Gabe glanced at Isabel's door, concern on his face as he knew that this was a recurring incident. He turned back to Elena, listening sympathetically as she continued. "I heard her scream so I ran in. She was already awake when I got there so I sat with her for awhile, letting her calm down. She told me that she'd be fine and I could go back to bed but... I just couldn't leave her. I snuck out once she fell back asleep but..."

"You're worried it will happen again?" Gabe finished for her, completely understanding her protective nature. Elena nodded, smiling gratefully at Gabe, glad that she didn't need to explain her actions to him.

"Would you at least like me to get you a blanket?" Gabe asked her with a slight laugh, knowing that she was set on staying. He didn't even attempt to convince her to go to bed.

"Yes!" Elena replied happily. Gabe turned towards Elena's room to oblige. "And a pillow?" Elena called to him

"Of course" he replied as he continued on his way.

"Maybe two pillows?" Elena added again after giving it some extra thought. "No ... one should be just fine... actually yeah... make it two!"

Gabe turned and looked at her, humored and waiting another second to see if she would come up with anything else.

"Please?" Elena finally finished with a toothy and goofy grin, pleading with the very wide childlike eyes that Gabe couldn't resist.

"Of course" He said again, this time laughing a bit and rolling his eyes at her teetering thoughts.

Gabe entered Elena's room and walked over to her bed. He grabbed a blanket that was draped over the foot and gathered up a couple of the maybe twenty pillows that the princess slept upon. _Must be nice to be royalty_ he thought as he compared the luxurious comforts of her bed to his own. He slept on property of the palace, using one of the rooms designated for staff needing to remain close to the royal family. The room was good enough for Gabe and he had no complaints but his small bed, barely big enough to fit his tall body, with plain white sheets and one pillow paled in comparison. No wonder Elena had difficulty being a "morning person" (as Gabe had discovered when he implemented his 5 a.m. training regiment into her fencing lessons). He wouldn't ever want to get up from this bed either. He shrugged his shoulders carelessly, certain he'd never know what it was like and knowing that he was more than content with what he _did_ have anyways.

He headed back out to the dim hallway and found that Elena's head rested upon her knees once again and she was nearly back to sleep. He walked over to her as quietly as he could and knelt by her side.

"Are you sure you don't want to just go to bed?" Gabe whispered to Elena as he placed the pillows by her side and draped the blanket over her shoulders.

"No..." She replied with a sleepy whisper as she lifted her head up and looked at Gabe through squinted eyes that she struggled to keep open. "I need to stay here... for Isa..." She yawned heavily and then forced her eyes to open. "See? _wide_ awake!"

"Clearly" Gabe said sarcastically, raising his eyebrows in doubt. Then reluctantly accepting Elena's plan asked "Would you like some company for a bit? Orrrr someone to _actually_ stay awake and listen for Isa?"

Elena smiled and nodded, pleased with his offer. Knowing that Gabe would be there too, took away the pressure of trying to stay awake. Gabe sat down next to her and leaned himself up against the door.

"Good thing you got two pillows!" Elena said in her usually perky way (although somewhat subdued from the sleep deprivation), as she shoved a pillow behind Gabe's back. He thanked her with a smile and their eyes connected. They gazed at one another just long enough for their hearts to each skip a beat and feel the intimacy of the situation increase. Gabe began to feel a little warm. He nervously cleared his throat and broke his stare. He adjusted himself on the pillow,stretched out his legs and when he felt comfortable on his pillow, crossed his arms across his chest and finally relaxed.

Elena rolled her eyes at how quickly Gabe had turned away from her. For someone who started out acting so confident and charming, he sure got nervous quickly whenever she got close to him. The idea of it humored her. She took her pillow and plopped it in his lap. Gabe tensed up nervously and eyes widened with surprised as Elena laid her head down, facing away from him and wrapping herself in her blanket. She turned her head to look up at him with a sly grin on her face and it was then that Gabe realized she was playing with him, trying to get a reaction. He shot her a knowing glare and she did her best to look innocent. As Gabe chuckled and shook his head at her, he began to relax again despite the fact that Elena remained close to him.

"You're a good sister ya know" Gabe said very matter of fact after he and Elena had been comfortable in the silence for a bit.

"Well I try to be..." Elena said modestly.

"I'm serious, Elena. Isa is really lucky to have you. I mean you're sitting out here in the middle of the night, not getting any sleep just _in case_ she needs you. No matter what you have going on, you always make sure she's taken care of first. You always make time for her. That's pretty special and trust me, she appreciates your efforts. I mean between your family, friends, all of Avalor... really caring about all of them...that's a lot to take on! You handle it really well. Putting everyone else's needs before yours all the time... you're a true leader. You're going to be an amazing queen one day."

Gabe spoke about Elena with gentle admiration and she closed her eyes as she listened to his praise. Gabe wasn't sure why he had suddenly began spoiling Elena with compliments. Perhaps it was the private setting of a quiet hallway occupied only by two close friends, both secretly longing for more that had been calling for such a conversation. He was glad he did it though once he saw the corner of Elena's lips turn up into a smile.

"Well it's my job to protect everyone. I just want to be a good queen and I want to be a good sister." Elena said, eyes still closed. She took a deep breath and tried to hold in a yawn. She placed her hand over her mouth to abstain before finishing her though. " _You_ know what it's like to put others before yourself! Your job is pretty much the same thing"

"Except that I only have to make sure _you_ don't get into any trouble. Which I suppose on _some_ days feels like taking care of an entire kingdom might be an easier task. So... I guess you're right" Gabe snickered.

"I am..." Elena said sleepily but still with a victorious grin "I mean... you're doing it right now... putting others first. You're not even on duty and you're still here taking care of me and Isa"

Elena forced her eyes open to a squint and looked up at Gabe, letting him know that his efforts to go above and beyond his duties didn't go unnoticed. " _you're_ pretty good at your job too" She said smiling.

Gabe wasn't sure if her eyes were just too heavy to keep open or if she had also shot him a wink but he convinced himself that it was the latter. He smiled at her, though she didn't see it. Her head was already lying back on the pillow, eyes closed softly once again.

"I just want to be a good guard" Gabe said mirroring Elena's response to his praises of her.

"You are..." Elena said then let out a long, open mouthed yawn, too tired to even try to suppress it this time. She felt Gabe's hand ever so slightly touch the top of her head and run his fingers down through her hair. Then again. The feeling began to lull her to sleep.

"Well I always pass through this way at night. I guess I just like to make sure that everyone is safe... one last time." Gabe explained, not even conscious that he had started stroking the princess's hair. "If I'm being honest... I don't just do it because it's my job... I do it because I _really_ care about you... about _all_ of you..."

Gabe sighed heavily, relieved that he finally confessed that much of what he did for Elena and her family was because he had deeper feelings. Feelings much stronger than being a royal guard necessitated.

He had hoped that what he said would have gotten a response from Elena but she said nothing. He stretched his neck forward, trying to get a glimpse of Elena's face and when he did, saw that she had once and for all dozed off to sleep. He leaned back against the door disappointed that she probably hadn't heard what he said. He shrugged it off and closed his own eyes, thinking that he'd just rest them a moment, not meaning to actually fall asleep himself.

* * *

Gabe opened his eyes, unsure of how long he had been asleep. It couldn't have been too long but it was long enough to feel his neck starting to get a Crick in it. He looked down at Elena, still fast asleep in his lap. He stared at her beautiful face and smiled at how comfortable and at peace she was. Gabe hated that he had to wake her but he didn't have a choice. He couldn't stay there all night. He had to be on duty in the morning.

"Elena" He whispered as he bent down close to her ear, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Nothing.

"Elena!" He said again in a whispered shout. And shook her shoulder gently.

She let out a deep nasal like snort but didn't actually wake. Gabe was taken aback momentarily by the unladylike sound that came from the princess. But his surprise quickly turned into an amused grin. He couldn't wait to tease her about that one.

Gabe shook her in one last attempt to get her up "Elena! You _need_ to get up and go to your bed now"

Elena lifted her head slightly and then let it drop back down to the pillow as she let out a slight moan.

"Elena... it's time to get up" Gabe repeated now feeling like he was talking to a child.

Elena yawned heavily "Yeah... I'm getting up now" She finally said, never opening her eyes though.

 _Good_ Gabe thought as he began to shift himself forward in preparation to stand. Just as he began to do so, Elena also began to move. She lifted her sleepy head off the pillow and turned herself around so that she was now lying on her opposite side. She rested one hand underneath her head and grabbed her blanket with the other, pulling it up close to her face as she curled up even closer to Gabe.

It was the complete opposite of what he wanted her to do but still, Gabe tilted his head and looked at Elena with nothing but love in his eyes. The sight of her sleeping next to him was pleasing. But, as much as he wanted to, he knew they couldn't remain there in such an intimate manor. He finally gave up with trying to get her to rise on her own. Instead, he slowly pulled the blanket off of her and gently moved the pillow from beneath her head. He straightened her wrinkled up night gown so that it fell appropriately and then slipped one arm under her knees and gripped around her waist with his other. He pulled her in close to him, letting her head rest upon his shoulder just right. As he easily stood up with her in his arms, she jostled just enough to let out another raspy snore which continued with each long breath she took. Gabe rolled his eyes, both amused and amazed at her ability to sleep so soundly. Some may have found Elena's present state to be quite unappealing... but not Gabe.

* * *

Gabe carried Elena into her room, walked over to her bed and laid her atop the pool of pillows. He lifted her legs up just enough so that he could slip them underneath the blankets. He stood up and looked at the young woman who had captured his heart. He took a deep breath in and let out a heavy sigh, knowing that he'd somehow have to push his feelings aside. She was the crown princess, soon to be ruler of all Avalor and he was just her royal guard. Nothing could ever happen.

"Good night princess" He said slightly pained by the facts he was certain to be true. He turned to walk away.

"Gabe?" Said Elena with sweet tranquility, stopping Gabe and making him turn back towards her.

Elena's eyes were barely open and she had a dreamy smile across her face as she looked at him. To be honest, Gabe wasn't positive she was actually awake. Still, she reached out her hand for him. He took it. She patted the side of her bed, inviting him to sit down next to her. Gabe was a bit reluctant to do so, mostly because he felt a little uncomfortable being alone with the princess.. in her room... in the middle of the night. Against his judgement, he sat down, still holding her hand.

"Thanks Gabe" She said through squinted eyes as she managed to sit herself up so she was face to face with Gabe. "You're always looking out for me... and for Isa"

Gabe gave her a quick nod and loving smile in acknowledgement of her thanks. He was happy to always be there for her.

"You're really special..." Elena whispered softly as her eyes closed again, nearly drifting back to sleep.

Gabe was about to guide her back to a lying position to let her sleep when her eyes opened again. Their eyes locked with a force that made Gabe's heart beat faster. He could feel his palm in hers start to get sweaty as she squeezed his hand and pulled him in closer to her. Elena's eyes went from barely awake to wide with interest. The rate and depth of their breaths increased and with each exhale the intensity between them grew stronger. Gabe's eyes drifted to her lips as he imagined the taste of them. He tensed up, using every muscle he could to hold himself back. _She's the crown princess, you can't..._ he reminded himself. Still, he continued to stare into eyes that were calling him to make a move. Elena tilted her head ever so slightly to the right, chin up, her lips parted in preparation to be kissed and she lightly shut her eyelids as she moved her mouth to meet Gabe's.

Gabe watched the princess as if everything was happening in slow motion and then suddenly released Elena's hand and straightened himself up, backing away from her. Elena's eyes shot open. Gabe stood up, keeping his eyes on her. Honestly, he was just as shocked as Elena appeared to be at his actions... or lack of actions depending on how you'd like to look at it.

"Good night Elena" Gabe said awkwardly as he quickly turned around and walked towards the door, leaving Elena behind feeling confused and mostly embarrassed.


	2. Chapter 2

"Good morning Princess!" Gabe said as he opened the door to the royal coach for Elena who had just come from the daily grand council meeting. He tried his best to use his usual tone, not wanting the princess to know that he was feeling a bit awkward after their interactions the night before.

"That's OK, I'll just ride up front with you" Elena said cheerfully, waving her hand at the open door and brushing right past Gabe. Gabe quickly shut the door and made sure he offered up a hand to Elena as she climbed into the driver's seat. It wasn't surprising to Gabe for her to ride next to him. It was something she often did when she was the only one who would be riding in the carriage. He _was_ surprised however at how alert Elena was considering her lack of sleep the night before and how casual she seemed to be with him. " _Maybe she was too tired to even remember? "_ Gabe thought. He climbed up next to her and glanced at her with a friendly smile, which she reciprocated.

"So where are we off to?" He asked, matching her high spirits.

"The Via Mercado please! I need to do a little shopping for Isa" Elena replied.

"Great!" Gabe said as he flicked the reins of the horses to head forward. Gabe sighed with relief as he was glad that things weren't going to be uneasy between them as he had feared.

"Sooooo..." Elena started to say as they pulled away from the palace and headed over the bridge that led into the city. Gabe tensed up as she suddenly wasn't as perky as she had been. He glanced sideways at her, squinting his eyes awkwardly, silently pleading with her not to bring up what had happened. He just wanted to forget it and move it.

"I'm sorry about last night..." Elena continued, looking up at Gabe with sheepish eyes.

Her guard's heart melted when he saw how embarrassed she looked. His eyes softened to her and he smiled sympathetically. Gabe wanted to attempt to lighten the mood and was hoping to not talk specifically about their almost kiss. He couldn't bear to hear her tell him that it was a mistake.

"Sorry about what?!" Gabe asked, feigning ignorance to Elena's apology. "Sorry about your snoring!?" He joked.

Elena's eyes opened wide. She was aghast at the thought that she actually may have been snoring in front of Gabe. Then she laughed when she saw the goofy grin form across his face.

"I do _not_ snore!" She insisted in a lighthearted manor.

"Oh but you absolutely _do!_ Loud... snorty... terrible sounds!" Gabe teased and then leaned his head closer to Elena and whispered "annnnd... not to embarrass you or anything buuuut... I think you drooled a little bit too"

"GABE!" Elena playfully scolded as she slapped his arm.

Gabe let out a boisterous laugh as he watched Elena fold her arms across her chest and pretend to be angry with him. He could tell she was trying to contain a laugh herself.

"Ok, Ok! I guess it wasn't all _that_ bad" Gabe confessed. "It was actually kind of... _adorable_!"

He nudged her shoulder with his and glanced over at her. She met his eyes with the same loving stare she had worn the night before. Gabe cleared his throat nervously and turned his eyes back to the road ahead. He realized that he had been leaning in closer and closer to Elena as they talked so he straightened himself back up. _You need to keep things professional!_ he reminded himself, realizing that the easy banter that he and Elena often fell into was what led them to their situation the night before. He couldn't help it though. He was in too far now. His feelings were too deep and the way she had been looking at him in return certainly didn't help him suppress anything.

* * *

The pair arrived in the city after a mostly silent ride. Elena had decided not to go back to the subject of making a move to kiss him. She could tell that he was trying to avoid the conversation. She was disappointed that she wouldn't be getting the answers that she was looking for. She was hoping for an explanation of why he pulled back from her. She _knew_ that Gabe had feelings for her. There was no way she could misread all the moments they shared. There were too many. She often wondered how it was even possible for someone to exude so much admiration in a look as Gabe so often did towards her. Even now, the way Gabe looked at her, leaned in close to her, and joked with her were all pointing to the same thing. Elena watched Gabe, who was trying so hard not to watch her, and she wondered why he was holding back just when she was ready to admit her own feelings for him.

They pulled up to the Via Mercado and Gabe swiftly hopped down from the carriage. He turned around to help Elena down. Their eyes locked as he reached up for Elena, placing his hands on her waist and Elena supported herself on his shoulders. As Elena's feet touched the ground her hands slid down his arms, feeling his contracted biceps slowly relax and she let her palms gently rest just above the crease in his elbow for just a second longer than was necessary. Elena stared deep into Gabe's eyes, trying to read his thoughts, trying to find some clarity about how he was feeling. She wasn't sure if he realized it but his fingers firmly traced her hip bones as he let go of her. Elena liked the way his hands felt on her and she blushed slightly at the thought. She clasped her hands in front of her and looked down at them before glancing back up at Gabe, whose eyes were still on her. She smiled up at him and their eyes remained connected as she turned to lead the way into the store.

* * *

Once inside, Elena browsed around for a bit as Gabe lingered behind her, standing tall at attention, and letting her do what she needed to do. The store was crowded as usual so Gabe had to be extra alert of their surroundings.

"What do you think of this one?" Elena asked Gabe, breaking his focus. He seemed annoyed at her casual attitude and lack of awareness that she was the princess making a very public appearance. Her guard crossed his arms with intention and gave her his best 'you need to take this seriously' face but Elena only rolled her eyes at him and asked him the question again as she held up a leather guitar strap.

"For Isa?" Gabe asked as he relaxed, momentarily giving in to Elena's 'everything is fine' attitude.

"Yeah. The strap on her guitardion broke yesterday and I know that she could probably just fix it herself but... I thought if I could just pick a new one up for her, she wouldn't have to go through all the trouble" Elena explained happily, lighting up as she spoke about her sister.

"Well that's a good one I guess" Gabe said as positively as he could. Honestly, they all looked the same to him so it didn't much matter. The answer was good enough for Elena as she was just going to get the one she wanted to anyways.

"hmmm... There needs to be something else though... It's too plain... they all are" Elena said, speaking to Gabe but really just aloud to herself as she tried to come up with something that was a bit more special. "OO!" Elena said, as her eyes brightened with an idea "What if I embroidered her name on it?! That way it would mean a little bit more!"

"Sure" Replied Gabe as he shrugged, unsure of what embroidering actually was but Elena seemed excited about it.

"Too bad I don't know how to do embroidery." Elena said frowning for a second and then her eyes brightened up again as she nonchalantly said "I'm sure I'll be able to learn in no time though! How hard could it be?".

Elena walked over to the thread and Gabe followed with a smirk on his face and shaking his head, amazed with Elena's confidence to be able to do and learn anything. She never backed down from a challenge no matter how big or how small and Gabe always loved to watch her succeed at each one.

"Gabriel?" A voice asked from behind the princess and her guard. Gabe turned around to see his mother. He finally fully relaxed and released the most genuine smile. As Gabe walked over to his mother and wrapped his arms around her, Elena watched affectionately, her heart filling with joy. The tender relationship that Gabe had with his mother only made him more desirable to her.

"Princess Elena! How nice to see you again" said Blanca Nunez, greeting Elena with a courtesy.

"Oh please! No need to bow" Elena replied, waving her hands in polite protest before walking over and hugging Blanca just as Gabe had, delighting not only the woman but Gabe too. "It's very nice to see you again as well Mrs. Nuñez!"

"Elena is just out shopping for a gift for Princess Isabel" Gabe told his mother, grinning from ear to ear at the endearing interactions between the two women he loved so much. "She wants to teach herself how to embroider?" He continued, looking to Elena to see if he had said it right.

"I'm going to try!" Elena said positively to Blanca as she nodded to Gabe that he was correct.

"I learned from my mother when I was about your age. It's not too difficult. Gabriel says you're a quick learner and very determined young woman. I'm sure you'll pick it up in no time" Blanca told the princess.

Elena thanked Gabe for the compliment with a loving smile and stars in her eyes. The Royal guard simply shrugged and blushed. It was true, he often sang praises about the princess to his mother.

Elena's eyes suddenly widened with excitement as she came up with an idea. "Would _you_ teach me?!" She asked Blanca. It was an innocent and child like plea. "I would _really_ appreciate it! Plus, it would save me the trouble of trying to figure it all out on my own. I just want to be able to stitch Isa's name on this strap"

"I would love to help you Princess Elena. That shouldn't take too long to do, we could go over to the bakery now and work on it if you'd like." Blanca responded, more than happy to be able to pass on her mother's teachings to a younger generation. She then looked to her son, who was watching the princess in his usual loving way. "You were right Gabriel! Those sweet eyes are difficult to say no too" she said completely unaware at how uncomfortable her son had suddenly become. Elena couldn't help but notice though and she loved his vulnerability. She giggled quickly as she shot Gabe a winning grin.

"Yay!" Elena squealed overly enthusiastic and with a toothy grin. She paid for her goods and then took Blanca's arm as they headed out together, Gabe following closely behind.

"OO! Maybe while we work you could tell me more of those wonderful compliments that Gabriel has given me!" Elena said in her jovial way. She glanced over her shoulder at Gabe, giving him a mischievous wink, knowing that he was praying his mother wouldn't say anything to further embarrass him.

* * *

As Elena and Blanca sat in a quiet corner of Nunez and Son bakery working on the princess's project, Gabe went into the kitchen to help his Dad, the owner and baker.

After a couple of hours, Gabe came out of the kitchen to check on the women's progress. He found them sitting close to one another laughing, Elena actually slapped her knee from the hysterics. They simultaneously paused when they saw Gabe approaching. Elena placed her hand over her mouth and tried to contain her laughter but let out a small snort again as she eyed a curious Gabe.

" _Mama?!_ What are you telling her?!" Gabe asked his mother in a surprised tone.

"Oh just telling Princess Elena some of the stories of your childhood games of Olaball" Blanca said innocently.

Gabe slapped his palm to his face. He had been terrible at the game of Olaball and he had more than a few embarrassing stories of growing up trying to be a superstar player. _Why?!_ He thought in disbelief as he gave his mom a pleading look to please stop. He then turned his attention towards Elena who was still trying to contain the giggles. She still looked at him with admiration though and the look helped Gabe to be a little less self conscious. He finally let out a short laugh and raised his eyebrows playfully at Elena, shaking his head. He could tell that she was genuinely enjoying herself and his mother was beaming as well. How could he ever be upset with either one of them?

"So... other than having a good time at my expense..." Gabe joked "How did everything go?"

"Great!" Elena squeaked, holding up her work proudly. "I just finished. What do you think?"

The lettering was crooked and a little sloppy. Gabe cocked his head to the side and gave Elena an uncertain look "Well... it's not bad for your first try I guess" He said honestly. Elena's excitement momentarily faded from her face. Gabe noticed and quickly tried to remedy her disappointment. "BUT! I'm sure Isabel will _love_ it! Especially knowing how hard you worked to do something special for her"

Elena's smile returned just as quickly as it had faded and she stood up, satisfied with the final product. "Good! I agree!"

"You're ready to get back to the palace then?" Gabe asked.

"Yes. But we should definitely stop and grab something to eat. I'm starving!" Elena said, rubbing her stomach. They had lost track of time and it was just a bit past lunch.

"Gabriel, why don't I grab some food from the kitchen and the two of you could go out to our special spot." Blanca suggested as she snuck a little wink to Gabe who looked at her quizzically. She hurried off to put a basket together without even waiting for an answer, leaving Elena and Gabe by themselves.

"Awww You have a special spot?" Elena said to Gabe loving the fact that she was being invited to see an intimate side of his life.

"Yes" Gabe sighed, giving in to Elena's desire to know more about him. "My dad traveled a lot when he was a professional Olaball player so it was just my mom and I when I was growing up. We would go up to one of the cliffs over looking the water and watch the ships sail in and out of the harbor. We would make up stories about where we thought each one was going or where they were from or what kind of adventures they might be going on." Gabe looked down at Elena who was gazing at him with a tenderness he had never seen before. When their eyes met, they both softened to each other and her eye lashes fluttered at him. Gabe paused as he was a bit surprised by Elena's reaction. Then he continued his explanation. "It's kind of silly I guess but... watching others come in and out of the city made it easier when my dad was gone. It just seemed more normal knowing that lots of people had to leave home for lots of different reasons ya know?"

"That's not silly at all Gabe! It's... sweet... _really_ sweet" Elena said taking a step closer to Gabe.

Gabe swallowed hard, getting nervous at the way Elena was looking at him. It was similar to the night before. He wasn't even trying to impress her and yet here he was winning her over anyways. He liked the warmth he felt when they connected the way they were doing at that moment. Still, he held back. He wasn't ready to cross the line between princess and guard. Crossing that line would change everything and he hadn't quite figured out how to handle it. Especially if Elena's feelings weren't quite as intense as his were. He cleared his throat and broke their eye contact.

"So anyways... what sort of stories did my mom share with you about my early Olaball days?" Gabe asked trying to lighten the mood and take away some of the romantic tension between he and Elena.

She laughed as she recalled the tales Blanca shared with her. "Well... lets just say that if I ever get a cat there is _NO_ way that I would _ever_ trust you around it!" She teased.

"HEY! It was _NOT_ my fault that that cat happened to wander into the arena at the wrong time!" Gabe protested and they both laughed together at their newly formed private joke.

Just then, Blanca returned with a basket packed with treats for the couple to share. Gabe hugged his mother, promising to have dinner with his family one day that week and Elena also hugged and thanked Mrs. Nunez for all of her help and a fun morning. Blanca was more than pleased with the Princess's company and invited her to return anytime she liked.

* * *

When they reached Gabe's special cliff, Elena was amazed at the view. It really did overlook the harbor perfectly. It was close enough to see all the comings and goings yet far enough away that it felt secluded. The noise of the city was replaced by the soft sounds of nature. They laid out a blanket and sat facing one another, placing the picnic basket between them so that they could share the goods that had been packed for them. As they ate, they laughed together while Elena retold the rest of the embarrassing stories that Blanca had shared with her and Gabe did his best to defend himself.

"This was all so delicious. You'll have to thank your dad for me. Your mom too... for the idea and for packing it all up for us" Elena told Gabe when they had finished eating. Gabe nodded that he would. "Your family is really great. I enjoyed spending time with them today"

Gabe was happy that Elena had genuinely enjoyed her morning. It made him feel good that she thought so fondly of this parents.

Elena hugged her knees up into chest, looked down and took a deep sigh.

"What is it?" Gabe asked her, seeing her sudden change in mood.

"It's nothing really" Elena replied, looking up at Gabe and giving him a sweet smile. "I was just thinking about how much I miss having my own parents around."

Gabe gazed at Elena sympathetically. It was enough to ease Elena's brief moment of sorrow.

"Your mom was really great today!" Elena continued as she perked up. "She really didn't have to take all that time out of her day to help me."

"Well if you hadn't noticed, she was more than happy to do it" Gabe told her laughing. "She always wanted a daughter to pass on such things to and since she was stuck with me... she never got a chance. _You_ gave her that chance. Plus, she adores you! So it really was no sacrifice for her at all"

Elena was thrilled at hearing such compliments. "Well... I guess I am pretty easy to love" She joked in a bubbly manor, giving Gabe flirtatious eyes.

"Definitely!" Gabe agreed quickly, and matched Elena's look. He suddenly became very self conscious about the speed in which he responded.

Elena hadn't taken notice and continued to laugh. "Yeah... especially for you since you get paid to spend time with me!"

She hadn't meant anything harmful in her statement, she was just joking around but it was clear that she had offended Gabe. His entire demeanor had suddenly changed. He seemed almost irritated. Elena stopped laughing and watched Gabe for more of a reaction. She was afraid to say anything more.

"UGH" Gabe grunted with frustration. He got up from their picnic, crossed his arms and walked to the edge of the cliff, keeping his back to Elena. He was frustrated that Elena had questioned why he spent time with her, he was frustrated with trying to hold back how he truly felt about her and mostly he was frustrated because he didn't want to hold back his feelings anymore.

Elena followed Gabe and hesitantly placed her hand on his shoulder. "Are you ok? I didn't mean"

"Is that really what you think?!" Gabe interrupted, swiftly spinning around to face the princess. He was somewhat angry but more hurt than anything else. Elena opened her mouth to reply but Gabe just went on talking before she could get the words out "I protect you and I stand and fight by your side because _that's_ my job!"

Gabe's voice was raised and Elena stood wide eyed, not knowing what to expect next. She wanted to take back what she had said. She wanted to explain to him that it wasn't what she actually thought but Gabe continued on with his rant.

"But ... all of _THIS!"_ He said motioning to their picnic. "None of this is in my job description. I don't even have to talk to you! My only _job_ is to make sure you are safe"

Gabe's shoulders sank and he let out a heavy sigh as his anger faded. He locked his eyes on Elena's, who was still a bit uncertain. Seeing her face made him give in to a smile and his expression instantly became softer. He took another deep breath and let it out slowly. He then took her hands in his. Elena remained silent, knowing that he had more to say to her. She too relaxed and held his gaze.

"I talk to you because I _want_ to not because I get paid to." He said tenderly "I _want_ to get to know you better. I _want_ to hear what you have to say. Because... you never fail to impress me and I _like_ being around you. The more time I spend with you, the more time that I _want_ to be around you. Being with you makes me feel good. About myself, about life, about... _everything_. The way you look at life is infectious." Gabe paused as he stared deep into Elena's eyes, hoping she could feel his words and not just hear them. "You _are_ easy to love" He finally finished, squeezing her hands.

Elena realized that she had been holding her breath as Gabe spoke to her, saying everything that she had been wanting to hear from him. Her heart had slowly melted as he was speaking. The emotion behind his words spoke volumes and Elena didn't want to turn it down. She could tell that it was all true. Gabe loved her. Her heart beat quickly and her newly released breath had quickened. Then a thought suddenly hit her and she looked down with confusion.

"Soo... wait." Elena started, looking back up to Gabe for some answers. "If this is how you feel then... why did you back away from me last night?"

Gabe's jaw dropped as that was not the response he had been expecting. He _did_ owe her an apology though. "Trust me ... that is _not_ how I would ever imagine any of that going" He said. "I'm sorry I just left you like I did but... you were barely awake, I wasn't even positive that you _were_ awake. I felt like I'd be taking advantage of you somehow. Plus... I'm just your guard. You're the crown princess! There are certain boundaries there. We need to make sure we know what we're doing before we cross them"

Elena nodded. He was right about the boundaries. He was always so rational. She rarely thought things through. But she _had_ thought a lot about how she felt about Gabe.

"You're right" She told him, eliciting a defeated look in Gabe. "There should be boundaries between me and the guards. But... you're not _just_ my guard. You're so much more than that! When it's just you and I... when we're alone... you don't see me or speak to me as the crown princess. You see me as _Elena!_ "

Gabe perked up as he realized that she wasn't going to let their positions get in the way. She had seen something special in him and as she spoke he let all the love he felt for her shine through his eyes and into hers.

"You see every part of who I am" Elena continued "and you see what makes me _who_ I am. You see all of my flaws and you see me when I'm at my most vulnerable and then you _still_ look at me the way you do... the way you are right now. With so much warmth and affection... as if I'm perfect just the way I am"

"You are..." Gabe instinctively replied in a quiet adoring tone and Elena reciprocated his dreamy look.

"Gabe..." Elena whispered as she released his hands, stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She looked up at him with submissive eyes which made Gabe nervous but for the first time, he didn't force his feelings aside. He didn't pull away. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her, resting his hands on the small of her back.

"I _knew_ what I was doing last night" Elena explained. "I knew exactly what I was doing and I don't care about any boundaries because... I love you too"

Gabe didn't even hesitate after hearing her last words. His hands gripped her waist and he pulled her hips in towards his own. He tilted his face down and then paused just inches apart from her just so that he could stare into her eyes one last time and convey every emotion he felt right up until the very moment that their lips would touch. When Gabe's mouth finally met Elena's, her eyes naturally closed as she sweetly savored every subtle slide of Gabe's lips on hers. It was easy and felt so right for her to match his movements. The kiss was gentle and filled with every ounce of love that they had been keeping inside for so long. When their lips parted, Elena kept her eyes closed and was nearly swooning as she allowed Gabe's strong arms to hold her tight and keep her steady. She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, opening her eyes and meeting Gabe's. They were both glowing with satisfaction. Neither could have ever imagined a more perfect kiss.

They stood on the edge of the cliff, hair blowing in the breeze, just holding each other, gazing into one anothers eyes and occasionally stealing soft kisses. There was so much that they would have to figure out about their relationship but for just that moment, nothing else mattered. It was just the two of them. Completely in love.


End file.
